


Fundamental Truths

by Willowe



Series: automaton!AU [6]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: F/M, automaton Hamilton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 06:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5407028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowe/pseuds/Willowe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander holds her gaze for a moment longer, and in a brief instant of pure realization he finds that he has been utterly out-maneuvered by Miss Angelica Schuyler.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fundamental Truths

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for everyone who has been reading and commenting on these stories! A lot of you have been asking about the Schuyler sisters, so here they are! I hope you enjoy!

Alexander has never met a woman quite like Angelica Schuyler before. Despite what the rumors around camp might indicate, he has had numerous liaisons with women in the past- and most of them of a physical, rather than intellectual, union. But there’s something refreshing, almost delightful, about how Angelica’s wit matches his, turn for turn; for every flirtation he delivers, she responds with one more coy, more subtle and discreet. For every comment he makes about the war and his posting, she responds with a knowledgeable question that he finds himself answering as if he was speaking to a comrade in camp, rather than the eldest daughter of a wealthy high-society family.

They have only been speaking for a few minutes, and yet Alexander already finds his attention wholly captivated by the Schuyler sister in front of him. He is intrigued, delighted to find such a match for his intellect in one of the most desirable women at this ball, and he is almost sure that Angelica is equally captivated by him. There is a spark in her eyes, a quick-witted light that suggests that she is enjoying their discourse as much as he is.

She must know that he is an automaton- how could she not? Every time one of his joints clicks mechanically as he makes a sudden gesture, her eyes flicker to the limb in question. And there was no mistaking the look on her face when she first saw his glass-eyes, that moment of realization that Angelica quickly hid away behind a polite mask.

And yet, she does not ask him about it, not directly at least. When he deflected the conversation away from his own background she went along with the conversational change, and has not yet tried to broach the subject again, seemingly content to continue questioning about him about his role as Washington’s aide-de-camp instead of slipping back into the polite pleasantries that events such as this usually call for. Perhaps, it does not matter to her that he is an automaton. A slim chance, to be sure, and yet… _and yet_ , indeed.

Alexander is recounting an innocent tale of one of the Continental Army’s fruitless attempts to gather supplies (one of the few that is fit to share with such cultured company, and one of the even rarer stories that is more amusing rather than shameful by the conclusion) when their conversation is suddenly interrupted.

“Is this _automaton_ bothering you, Miss?” the soldier asks. Alexander recognizes him as one of Washington’s other aides, though no name comes to mind. Still, Alexander does not need to know the man’s name to know that the stress on _automaton_ was intended to make it into an insult.

“Actually, I was quite enjoying our conversation,” Angelica says, somewhat frostily, a marked difference from the openly enthusiastic tone she had been using with Hamilton. Surely this man has to notice that…

Except somehow, he does not. “What conversation could possibly be worth having with an automaton?” the man scoffs.

Alexander stiffens at the insult, anger coursing through him as he draws himself up to his full height. He doesn’t outrank this soldier, can't just order him to stand down, and he doesn’t think the other man will turn violent. Not inside the ball, at least, and it would be worth having to watch his back for a few days to verbally shut this man down once and for all.

But, to his surprise, Angelica Schuyler beats him to it.

“I have found, my good sir, that Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton is an excellent conversational partner,” she says, her tone polite but cold. “There is no denying his intelligence and wit and, unlike some of the men attending tonight’s festivities, he has excellent decorum when in the presence of a lady.”

There is no mistaking the way that Angelica pointedly turns down her nose at him, and this time the man scrapes together enough wits to recognize the insult in her words. “Now, see here-”

“I do believe Miss Schuyler made her point very clear,” Alexander says smoothly, before the man can get riled up any further. “You would do well to respect her wishes in this matter.”

Across the room, Lafayette has caught sight of the brewing confrontation and is quickly crossing the dance floor to reach the trio before the other aide can act. Alexander feels the usual annoyance at his friends’ incessant need to protect him, but in this case it works in his favor; the man catches sight of Lafayette heading their way and, apparently deciding that he does not want a dressing-down from a Major General, he throws one last scowl their way and storms off.

Alexander silently motions for Lafayette to back off himself, and stand down; after a moment’s hesitation, he nods and disappears into the crowd again.

“My sincerest apologies for that disturbance,” Alexander says to Angelica.

“You have no need to apologize, sir,” she tells him. “It’s hardly your fault that he interrupted our conversation.”

“I fear he would not have felt the need to interrupt if you had been talking to anyone else,” Alexander admits, with no small amount of shame.

Angelica shakes her head. “You do not know that. He easily could have tried to worm his way into any conversation I had. It was mere coincidence that you being an automaton gave him an easy excuse.”

Alexander starts at the casual way that she mentions him being an automaton. Most people shy away from the term, dance around the subject like to even mention it is taboo. But there’s a light in her eyes that tells him she knows exactly what she’s doing; she knows what he is and she easily accepts him anyway, even though she hardly knows him. It’s the same sort of reaction that he got from Lafayette, Laurens, and Mulligan when he first met them, although this time he has the advantage of recognizing that response immediately.

This time, he knows well enough to not react with suspicion and distrust and instead smiles comfortably and holds his tongue when it looks like Angelica is going to say something else. But she does not speak, as something suddenly catches Angelica’s attention across the room. He watches as her brow furrows for a moment, her mouth turning down into a small, nearly imperceptible, frown, one that a man less sharp than himself might miss.

Curious, Alexander subtly follows her gaze. Perhaps her father is across the ballroom. No doubt he saw the mishap with the other soldier, and wishes to ascertain his daughter’s well-being. Or perhaps he’s simply wary of how long she has been talking to an automaton- a nearly insurmountable strike against Alexander, and one that a father such as Philip Schuyler would understandably hold against him.

But Alexander does not see Schuyler across the room. Rather, through the swirl of waltzing couples, he catches a glimpse of a solitary figure standing against the far wall and his breath catches in his throat. For all he thought that Angelica was a woman of unsurpassed beauty, this mysterious woman outshines even her radiance. Dark hair and dark eyes, set against pale skin and a sapphire gown, shimmering like a jewel in the crowd.

Outward appearances do not make the sum of a person- something Alexander is all too personally aware of even if he also knows how easily looks are used as an indication of one’s social status. And yet for all that he is an automaton, he is still a man and a pretty face is still more than enough to turn his head. Only for a moment though, no more, as he is already entertaining the company of another woman, one who has already risked much tonight by openly declaring her support of an automaton.

But when he brings his attention back to Angelica he finds that he is a half-beat too late to keep her from noticing his distraction. There is a small amused smile on her face, and a smug look in her eyes that tells him that she knows very well who he was looking at- and something else, that makes him think that she knows something that he does not.

She reaches out and gently rests her hand on his elbow, as if he had offered it to her first, and tells him, “Will you follow me, Mr. Hamilton?”

Alexander is too curious to even entertain the idea of telling her no. “Where are you taking me?” he asks as he lets her lead him across the room. They have to dodge the dancers, but there is no doubt that she is leading him towards the beautiful woman who is still standing alone.

Angelica smiles, somewhat wickedly, and tells him, “I’m about to change your life.”

He smiles back, as curious as ever and perfectly happy to follow along with whatever plans Angelica Schuyler seems to have in store. “Then by all means, lead the way.”

True to his suspicions, she brings him over to the mysterious woman in blue. Angelica lets go of his elbow, nudging him forward slightly, and the woman sinks into a graceful curtsy. “Elizabeth Schuyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she says demurely.

Alexander finds himself thrown off-guard. “Schuyler?” he repeats, glancing back at Angelica. One of his hands flies up to tuck a stray hair back behind his ear, hoping that he is physically more composed than he feels in this moment; the gears in his arm click loudly at the sudden movement and he winces at the sound.

Angelica smiles back at him, nearly a smirk, and simply says, “My sister.”

Alexander holds her gaze for a moment longer, and in a brief instant of pure realization he finds that he has been utterly out-maneuvered by Miss Angelica Schuyler.

Despite her acceptance of him, she still fully comprehends the situation at hand. Whether or not she cares about Alexander being an automaton is irrelevant; as the eldest Schuyler daughter, she does not have the liberty to marry below her station. He knows now that she is acutely aware of not only this fact, but also the reality that everyone at this ball will be seeking her hand to improve their own standing. Angelica was not ignoring this fact during their earlier conversations, but rather was sizing him up, determining his motivations for himself. Alexander feels embarrassment curl in his stomach as he realizes the, unfortunately accurate, conclusions she must have drawn from his flirtations.

And yet. _And yet_ , she introduced him to her own sister.

He turns back to Elizabeth. “Thank you for all your service,” she tells him. The words are polite, exactly what’s expected of her in this situation, but there is hope in her eyes, a flush on her cheeks. There is no intrusive curiosity in her gaze; she is simply attracted to him, not merely curious about the sole automaton in the room.

Alexander has heard tell of how close the Schuyler sisters are; there is no doubt in his mind that Angelica knows of Elizabeth’s feelings. And Angelica no doubt knows her father’s mind equally as well. Perhaps, if Angelica cannot marry beneath her, Philip Schuyler may be willing to make an exception for his second-eldest daughter.

Hamilton takes Elizabeth’s hand and kisses it. “If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it,” he says smoothly.

The smile on Elizabeth’s face is too sweet and Alexander feels something inside him grow warm at the sight.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Angelica says, with a smile of her own.

Alexander glances back at her one last time and though no words are exchanged he knows that she is aware of all that he is figured out, and he knows that he has her implicit permission- nay, her command- to pursue her sister’s hand rather than her own.

Alexander leads Elizabeth to the dance floor, sweeping her into an easy waltz. If Elizabeth hears the clicking of his joints as he dances, she makes no mention of it. In fact, she doesn’t react to the sound in any way. She doesn’t try to divert her gaze from his glass eyes, doesn’t make any comment or ask any question about him being an automaton. It’s so similar to his interactions with Washington that Alexander is momentarily thrown for a loop. Like the General, Elizabeth (“Please, call me Eliza, sir.”) treats him as if he is fully human.

It’s different from the reaction he had gotten from Angelica, with her open acknowledgement of his non-human status and subsequent easy acceptance. But Alexander allows himself only a momentary thought for what he could have had with Angelica. The match they made intellectually, the intimacy they could have shared… But no. The cards they were dealt in life could never be played together, and in realizing that as quickly as she did Angelica has perhaps helped him more than she realizes. In Elizabeth, he has a chance to improve his station. In marrying Elizabeth, he will keep Angelica’s wit in his life when she becomes his sister-in-law.

No. To claim that she does not realize this is to do her a disservice, for there is no way that such outcomes have not already occurred to her.

Perhaps, then, whatever Angelica Schuyler saw in him earlier met her high standards. For he has no doubt that, if he had fallen short in any way, he never would have gotten this close to her sister; the looks of open shock from their fellow dancers when they see an automaton dancing with a Schuyler sister tell him that easily enough.

Well, let them stare if they wish. Alexander has Angelica Schuyler’s blessing, and before the night is out he is already mentally composing his first letter to Eliza.

**Author's Note:**

> If any of you have prompts or specific scenes that you'd like to see me tackle in this AU, leave a comment or send me a message over at willowenigma.tumblr.com!
> 
> I have such a weakness for Angelica manipulating what happens in "Helpless" and "Satisfied", it's not even funny. So I wanted to see what that would look like in the automaton!AU. Originally I wanted to write the scene without Alexander figuring out what Angelica was doing by introducing him to Eliza, and him (mistakenly) thinking that she's rejecting him because he's an automaton. But I really love the idea of her openly defending him, and Alexander being in on her "fundamental truths" without either of them having to actually explain anything.
> 
> I'm still working out a lot of the details with how Alexander's relationship with Eliza is going to work in this series (I haven't figured out the problem of Philip and "That Would Be Enough" yet...) so I don't want to write too much with the two of them, in case I end up contradicting myself later. 
> 
> That said, there are plans for another short Alexander/Eliza story! But the next thing I'll be posting is going to be a 3-part story that picks up where "Wrote My Way to Revolution" left off. So keep your eyes open for that!


End file.
